Young Stirling joker secures ticket to Holyrood after quip earns spot in final
His top gag earned him a spot in the national competition where a pupil from each of the 32 council areas will compete for the crown.
A Stirling primary school pupil has turned a good gag into a golden ticket for Holyrood after being named a finalist in a national joke-telling competition.
Ru McCallum, a Primary One pupil at Allan's Primary School, has been crowned the winner of Stirling's regional heat in the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists' (RCSLT) VoiceBox competition – a national joke-telling contest celebrating the power of communication.
With a joke that had judges in stitches, Ru now heads to the Grand Final at the Scottish Parliament on June 5, where 32 of Scotland's funniest primary school pupils – one from each local authority – will compete for the title of VoiceBox Champion 2025.
Ru's joke which earned a place in the final, was: 'Why did the banana go to the doctor? Because he wasn't peeling very well!'
The event will be hosted by Rt Hon Alison Johnstone MSP, Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament, with Zara Janjua, BBC journalist and stand-up comedian, taking the mic as compère.
Now in its second year, VoiceBox launched on Blue Monday – the so-called 'saddest day of the year' – with a very different energy, thanks to last year's winners from Cockenzie Primary in East Lothian.
Since then, schools across Scotland have been submitting their funniest entries in a joyful celebration of confidence, creativity and communication.
Ru has already secured £100 worth of Collins Big Cat books for their school, and is also now in the running for the top prizes: £500 of books for the winning school; £200 of books for second and third place; plus, a £100 toy gift card for the top three finalists.
Glenn Carter, Head of RCSLT Scotland, said the competition is about more than making people laugh, explaining: 'We're incredibly proud of all the regional winners who've earned a place in the national final.
'VoiceBox is about much more than making people laugh.
'It's about highlighting the vital role that communication plays in every part of a child's life.
'Speech, language and communication, skills are the foundation for learning, social connection, mental wellbeing and future employment.
'Yet too many children still struggle without the support they need, often going unnoticed.
'Competitions like VoiceBox show just how powerful a child's voice can be when given a platform and why it's so important that we continue to invest in speech and language therapy to support children's communication. '
'These children aren't just telling jokes.
'They're showing us how the ability to communicate can positively impact confidence, creativity and connection.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Wales Online
4 days ago
- Wales Online
Exhibition of Palestinian dress and embroidery to open
Exhibition of Palestinian dress and embroidery to open Thread Memory: Embroidery From Palestine brings together more than 30 historical dresses, alongside veils, head-dresses, jewellery, accessories and archival photographs. (Image: Photo by) An exhibition of Palestinian dress and embroidery is set to open at V&A Dundee, as the city marks 45 years since it was twinned with Nablus in the West Bank. Thread Memory: Embroidery From Palestine brings together more than 30 historical dresses, alongside veils, head-dresses, jewellery, accessories and archival photographs. The exhibition explores the ways tatreez – an ancient practice of elaborate hand-embroidery – has shaped and expressed Palestinian national identity since the late 19th century and evolved into a form of resistance and solidarity. It also showcases the regional variations in dressmaking and embroidery across Palestine, with the cut, colour, textiles, stitches and motifs on Palestinian women's dress being both a highly skilled craft and a language which reveals who the wearer is and where they are from. Leonie Bell, director of V&A Dundee, said: "Thread Memory: Embroidery From Palestine is an exhibition that through research, collections and partnership explores the traditions and material culture of Palestinian dress and the vast range of regional styles that tell important stories about the lives of the women who made, adapted and wore these dresses, jewellery, head-dresses and accessories. "The exhibition also explores the 45-year-old connection between Dundee and Nablus, a twinning relationship that has brought these two cities together, and it celebrates contemporary Palestinian design and creativity from Dundee, Scotland and across the UK." Article continues below The exhibition includes "spectacular" historical dresses from villages in Gaza – including one that was damaged in the bombing of the Rafah Museum in 2023. It also features the dress worn by Dundee councillor Nadia El-Nakla at the swearing-in ceremony of her husband, former first minister Humza Yousaf. Ms El-Nakla said she is "delighted" to welcome the exhibition to V&A Dundee. "Design and culture are peaceful and powerful forms of resistance and solidarity," she said. "Palestinian fashion and dress express ideas about who we have been, who we are and the lives we want to live in peace and with dignity. "This exhibition is opening at a time of extreme pain and suffering. It's bringing design from Palestine to life and tells the stories of women's lives in Palestine. Article continues below "I am proud that my dress, or thobe, that I wore at the Scottish Parliament is there as an expression of my Scottish-Palestinian identity, and as a symbol of solidarity, hope and peace." The exhibition was developed in partnership with the Palestinian Museum in Birzeit in the West Bank, drawing on local expertise and objects from Palestine, as well as with Art Jameel and the V&A. Thread Memory: Embroidery From Palestine is free and on show at V&A Dundee from Thursday until spring 2026.
North Wales Chronicle
5 days ago
- North Wales Chronicle
Exhibition of Palestinian dress and embroidery to open at V&A Dundee
Thread Memory: Embroidery From Palestine brings together more than 30 historical dresses, alongside veils, head-dresses, jewellery, accessories and archival photographs. The exhibition explores the ways tatreez – an ancient practice of elaborate hand-embroidery – has shaped and expressed Palestinian national identity since the late 19th century and evolved into a form of resistance and solidarity. It also showcases the regional variations in dressmaking and embroidery across Palestine, with the cut, colour, textiles, stitches and motifs on Palestinian women's dress being both a highly skilled craft and a language which reveals who the wearer is and where they are from. Leonie Bell, director of V&A Dundee, said: 'Thread Memory: Embroidery From Palestine is an exhibition that through research, collections and partnership explores the traditions and material culture of Palestinian dress and the vast range of regional styles that tell important stories about the lives of the women who made, adapted and wore these dresses, jewellery, head-dresses and accessories. 'The exhibition also explores the 45-year-old connection between Dundee and Nablus, a twinning relationship that has brought these two cities together, and it celebrates contemporary Palestinian design and creativity from Dundee, Scotland and across the UK.' The exhibition includes 'spectacular' historical dresses from villages in Gaza – including one that was damaged in the bombing of the Rafah Museum in 2023. It also features the dress worn by Dundee councillor Nadia El-Nakla at the swearing-in ceremony of her husband, former first minister Humza Yousaf. Ms El-Nakla said she is 'delighted' to welcome the exhibition to V&A Dundee. 'Design and culture are peaceful and powerful forms of resistance and solidarity,' she said. 'Palestinian fashion and dress express ideas about who we have been, who we are and the lives we want to live in peace and with dignity. 'This exhibition is opening at a time of extreme pain and suffering. It's bringing design from Palestine to life and tells the stories of women's lives in Palestine. 'I am proud that my dress, or thobe, that I wore at the Scottish Parliament is there as an expression of my Scottish-Palestinian identity, and as a symbol of solidarity, hope and peace.' The exhibition was developed in partnership with the Palestinian Museum in Birzeit in the West Bank, drawing on local expertise and objects from Palestine, as well as with Art Jameel and the V&A. Thread Memory: Embroidery From Palestine is free and on show at V&A Dundee from Thursday until spring 2026.
Leader Live
5 days ago
- Leader Live
Exhibition of Palestinian dress and embroidery to open at V&A Dundee
Thread Memory: Embroidery From Palestine brings together more than 30 historical dresses, alongside veils, head-dresses, jewellery, accessories and archival photographs. The exhibition explores the ways tatreez – an ancient practice of elaborate hand-embroidery – has shaped and expressed Palestinian national identity since the late 19th century and evolved into a form of resistance and solidarity. It also showcases the regional variations in dressmaking and embroidery across Palestine, with the cut, colour, textiles, stitches and motifs on Palestinian women's dress being both a highly skilled craft and a language which reveals who the wearer is and where they are from. Leonie Bell, director of V&A Dundee, said: 'Thread Memory: Embroidery From Palestine is an exhibition that through research, collections and partnership explores the traditions and material culture of Palestinian dress and the vast range of regional styles that tell important stories about the lives of the women who made, adapted and wore these dresses, jewellery, head-dresses and accessories. 'The exhibition also explores the 45-year-old connection between Dundee and Nablus, a twinning relationship that has brought these two cities together, and it celebrates contemporary Palestinian design and creativity from Dundee, Scotland and across the UK.' The exhibition includes 'spectacular' historical dresses from villages in Gaza – including one that was damaged in the bombing of the Rafah Museum in 2023. It also features the dress worn by Dundee councillor Nadia El-Nakla at the swearing-in ceremony of her husband, former first minister Humza Yousaf. Ms El-Nakla said she is 'delighted' to welcome the exhibition to V&A Dundee. 'Design and culture are peaceful and powerful forms of resistance and solidarity,' she said. 'Palestinian fashion and dress express ideas about who we have been, who we are and the lives we want to live in peace and with dignity. 'This exhibition is opening at a time of extreme pain and suffering. It's bringing design from Palestine to life and tells the stories of women's lives in Palestine. 'I am proud that my dress, or thobe, that I wore at the Scottish Parliament is there as an expression of my Scottish-Palestinian identity, and as a symbol of solidarity, hope and peace.' The exhibition was developed in partnership with the Palestinian Museum in Birzeit in the West Bank, drawing on local expertise and objects from Palestine, as well as with Art Jameel and the V&A. Thread Memory: Embroidery From Palestine is free and on show at V&A Dundee from Thursday until spring 2026.
